Click the video above to view highlights from National Aboriginal Day 2016 in Ottawa.

The Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) was front and centre at National Aboriginal Day ceremonies in Ottawa today. MNO President Margaret Froh joined other Indigenous leaders with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett in Voyageur canoes that were launched on the Ottawa River. Paddling with the Prime Minister were eight former members of MNO Voyageur Canoe Expeditions: Kyle Grenier, Kyle Burton, Genevieve Routhier, Josh Szajewski, Gerald Lavallee, Amilia Di Chiara, Emily Ingram and Heather Bunn. These Métis youth were joined by four other Indigenous youth: Alexandre Dumais (First Nations); Danielle Ward (First Nations); Jesse Oolateea (Inuit); and Robert Adamie Akpik (Inuit).

President Froh joined other Indigenous leaders and Minister Bennett, Minister of Justice Jody Wilson-Raybould, Senator Lillian Dyck, House of Commons Speaker Jeff Regan and Parliamentary Secretary Yvonne Jones in a second canoe. The other Indigenous leaders with President Froh were Métis National Council President Clement Chartier, Native Women’s’ Association of Canada President Dawn Lavall Harvard and Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Morley GooGoo.

The Voyageur canoe event was the Métis element in National Aboriginal Day events in Ottawa. “It is unprecedented for the Prime Minister to take such an active part in National Aboriginal Day programs and it is very gratifying that there is a distinct Métis element in the commemorations,” commented MNO President Froh.

The canoe event was preceded by a Sunrise Ceremony at the Canadian Museum of History with a breakfast served afterwards. MNO Executive Senator Reta Gordon provided the opening prayer at the breakfast and entertainment included Métis jigger Jaime Koebel.

In addition to these exciting events, three MNO youth, PCMNO Youth Representative Mitch Case, PCMNO Postsecondary Representative Katelyn LaCroix and MNO Youth Council Region 1 Representative Kelly Duquette are among 12 Indigenous youth from across Canada who will be making presentations to the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples later today. All the Métis youth who will be presenting to the Senate Committee are MNO citizens.